26May 2023 by David Parsons
Dances of Fashionable Society

Dances of Fashionable Society

For dancers, Past events
Cotillons, quadrilles and country dances from the ballrooms and dance halls of Georgian and Victorian England St Pancras Church Hall, 1 Lancing Street, London, NW1 1NA. (Off Eversholt Street, beside Euston Station. Ring doorbell for entry.) Saturday 23rd September 2023 10.30 – 4.30 (arrival from 10.15) The workshop is led by Libby Curzon of Mrs Bennet’s Ballroom to launch the publication by the Historical Dance Society of Dances of Fashionable Society by Ellis and Christine Rogers. This book and CD is a compilation by Ellis of his favourite dances originally taught at [D]HDS Summer Schools.  Ellis Rogers Ellis Rogers Highly regarded teacher and researcher of nineteenth century dancing, founder with his wife Christine of Quadrille Club and author of The Quadrille. For full information on his achievements, see https://quadrilles.uk Libby Curzon As well as running Mrs Bennet’s…
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12May 2023 by David Parsons
Proceedings of the Stepping On conference are now available

Proceedings of the Stepping On conference are now available

Conference publications, For dancers, Other
The proceedings of Stepping On: A conference on Stepping in Dance held at Cecil Sharp House, London on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th November 2019, edited by Toby Bennett are now available to download or buy. Stepping On: A conference on Stepping in Dance was organised jointly by the Historical Dance Society, English Folk Dance and Song Society, Instep Research Team and the Dance Department of the University of Roehampton. More information
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18Jan 2023 by David Parsons
Summer School 2023. Dances of the Italian Renaissance.

Summer School 2023. Dances of the Italian Renaissance.

For dancers, Past events, Past summer schools
Exploring Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century Dance Friday 14th to Monday 17th July 2023 or Friday 14th to Friday 21st July at Bromsgrove School, West Midlands, B61 7HP. Bromsgrove School We offer a choice of a 15th or 16th Century dance course at two general levels of difficulty/challenge. The weekend course is aimed at those with little or no dance experience of their chosen period. The longer course is aimed at those with previous experience and some knowledge of the step vocabulary, with a few places available for weekend attendance. The weekend courses offer an excellent introduction to historical dance. Participants will study with their chosen tutor in daily classes, to develop technique and learn a selection of dances. A varied choice of afternoon workshops led by course tutors and other…
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19Nov 2022 by David Parsons

Weekend course ‘Dancing Well, Dancing Longer’

For dancers, Past events
Led by Kath Waters, the course runs from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 February 2023 at Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 9RB. Participants will explore dances from the Renaissance and Baroque periods with a focus on the development and application of technical skills and safe dance practice. The first evening and each morning will start with a general warm up, using exercises that can be taken away for personal use or use with a group. This will be followed by exploration of technical aspects such as strength, stamina, posture, alignment and co-ordination. These skills will then by applied to sociable Playford country dances on the first evening, Renaissance dances on the Saturday and Baroque dances on the Sunday. The course will be useful to both individual dancers and group leaders. Course Director: Kath Waters.…
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27Oct 2022 by David Parsons

Shakespeare’s Dances: a celebration of dance, music and costume

For dancers, For musicians, Past events
Held online on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 November 2022 The Historical Dance Society is bringing together renowned historians, researchers and practitioners to enjoy a weekend of Shakespeare-themed activities. References to dances and dancing appear throughout Shakespeare's plays. This weekend explores the dances, dance music and costumes that were familiar to Shakespeare and his circle. Learn how to dance a MeasureFind out how dances are interpreted and staged in productions of Shakespeare's playsExplore the hats, headwear and clothing of the timeDiscover the exciting Shakespeare and Dance ProjectFind out about creating music with limited resources in Shakespeare's timeFocus on non-social dancing and dance for performance in Shakespeare's playsDiscover how dance can be made dramatic in the dramas Relax and enjoy A Shakespeare Revel on Saturday evening (GMT) with dancing, music, readings and other delights. You…
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12Sep 2022 by David Parsons

WEEKEND COURSE – 1 & 2 October 2022

For dancers, Past events
Dance in the Spanish Golden Age Saturday 1 Oct 2022 10:30–17:00 and Sunday 2 Oct 2022 10:30–17:00  Springs Dance Studio (South Bank Arts Centre), Bedford College, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AH. The course will be led by Ana Yepes, an exceptional dancer and powerhouse of enthusiasm. Ana will bring her expertise gleaned from many years of deciphering Spanish manuscripts that are not available to the general public. Saturday : An introduction to Folía and its variations, which has its own style and step vocabulary, catering also for those with less experience of the period. Sunday: Aiming at more experienced dancers, focus will be on Folies d’Espagne, as performed in the French Court. Dancers will explore ways to accentuate the Spanish quality embedded in the choreography, using Folía arm movements from…
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26Sep 2020 by EmilyBowen
Playford Then & Now Festival

Playford Then & Now Festival

For dancers, For musicians, Past events
Following the success of the HDS Webinar Talks and the Online Dance Tutorials – both of which can be found on our YouTube channel – we’re delighted to announce the HDS Playford Weekend Festival – Playford, Then and Now. The enduring popularity of Playford dances and their music from the first edition published in 1651 to the 18th edition in 1728, is a treasure chest for folk dancers, historical dancers, musicians and researchers. Festival sessions will feature talks on a variety of related topics as well as a dance workshop, with renowned speakers from the UK and overseas. Playford – Then and Now – an Online festival via Zoom The ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of his continuing success today through dances, bands, his London, his contemporaries, and choreography Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th…
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24Apr 2020 by EmilyBowen
Baroque period

Baroque period

Dance history, Education, For dancers, For musicians
Following the foundation of the Académie royale de danse in 1661, Louis XIV ordered academicians to invent a notational system to record dances.  In response, at least four systems were in progress in the 1680s, one of which came to disseminate dances of French style across Europe by means of printing/publishing businesses. This prevalent system is called Beauchamp-Feuillet notation today after the names of the inventor/academician, Pierre Beauchamp, and the business man/dancing-master, Raoul-Auger Feuillet.  Over 350 dances are extant in this notation system in print and/or manuscript spanning the late 17th to mid-18th centuries, a period roughly matching the baroque era classified in other disciplines (those in the late 18th-century sources are re-notations of earlier publications, except Auguste F. J. Ferrère’s manuscript of theatre production from 1782).  Whereas the baroque style in other art…
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16Feb 2020 by EmilyBowen

Tips to encourage the use of live music for historic dance

Education, For dancers, For musicians
Many historical performances of dance impress greatly with the meticulous research, careful practice, attention to style, and accurate costumes only to disappoint when a member of the group (or if lucky, a clued in helper) rushes over to press the button for music. Sometimes there ensues a ghastly pause, or even the strains of the wrong music; if correct, at a volume too loud or soft, or distortion from a less than perfect sound system for the performance space. Music is integral to dance, and for historic dance, that meant live musicians, so to present a performance with canned music is clearly an anachronism. The following tips are intended to try to address some of the issues that lead to this being such common situation – the perceived lack of…
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16Nov 2019 by David Parsons

Stepping On: A Conference on Stepping in Dance across the British Isles and Beyond

Conference publications, For dancers, For musicians, Other, Past events
16 - 17 November 2019 Cecil Sharp House, London, UK The British Isles have a rich history of step dancing in many forms and in many forms and contexts, spanning centuries and linking with traditions across the world. Some of these dances and their histories are relatively well-known, others largely lost. The aim of the conference was to further our knowledge and understanding in these traditions and to stimulate debate. Download the proceedings from the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Download PDF Buy the printed proceedings from the EFDSS Buy Papers In Search of ‘Street’ Clog Dance. Alexandra Fisher Ontario Old–Time Step Dancing and its Connections to the British Isles. Sherry Johnson How fast should we dance: An investigation using recordings. Sean Goddard Hornpipe stepping at barn dances and ceilidhs in…
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